Mom The Movie – A Subject That Needs Action More Than Movies Now

An agony that we have mourned for thousand times, a grave issue that has been discussed on innumerous occasions and a boiling topic that has been the subject of so many movies that we can’t even keep a track now, the subject is safety of women. Like the challenge itself, we have started looking at the movies dragging the issue with the same casualness. We have clapped so much at the happy ending or the culprits getting rightful justice at the end that any such movies don’t excite any more. What can be real exciting is if we get to see some realtime action by the law & order of the country or any positive changes in the age old societal enigmas which still seems far from reality and is a different issue in itself.

The film mom is a story of a teenage girl who is gangraped on a valentine’s night when she has gone out to party with her friends. The incident finds similarities with the Delhi gangrape incident. The rape scene with a moving car pacing through the dark streets for hours in which the humans of ‘superior gender’ chest-thumping their masculinity crush the dignity, life and the right of a girl to live will remind you of so many incidents that have and keep taking place in our country. Then it shows the same old structure of the court and how it always works in favor of the more powerful irrespective of the real criminals and justice for the survivor. After being disappointed by all, finally the mother decides to take the charge and punish the rapists of her daughter by doing the justice by herself. Meanwhile an unassuming and low-keyed detective Daya Shankar Kapoor (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) aka DK helps her nabbing the criminals by using simple tricks evoking no suspicion as she is a simple married woman, a loving mother and a school teacher by profession. Although, the glimpse of Akshay Khanna after a long time in a role of stern police inspector is pleasant, the rest of the story is easily predictable.

Starring of Sajal Ali was known to me but I was unaware of the presence of Adnan Siddiqui who is similarly renowned in the field of acting in Pakistan. Both fit in their roles as their acting skills are unquestionable. Import of not only one but two actors from the Indian subcontinent and no agitation? Umm, Intriguing! On the other hand, Sri Devi does the justice with the character of a fearless mom who challenges her usual image and age to get justice for her daughter. But there is nothing that could be called phenomenal. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has again got a role which seems to be designed specially and only for him.

The censor board objects simple depictions of routine life that normal human lives, but it doesn’t have any problem with a movie showing utter helplessness of the police and law system to do justice with the rapists. Because maybe it is acceptable and normal but speaking “intercource” is not. A movie with not so strong balance of structure, weak plot and uneven direction is not here to make a lasting remark.